First, Lamont has the Democratic base locked up with that 57-37 percent lead. Lieberman is running strong among Republicans and independents. Since the Democrats dumped Lieberman in the primary, he's not going to pick up votes among the Democrats -- GOP and independent voters are the constituency for him to target.

Lamont, meanwhile, should target the same group. He's got the Democratic votes, now he needs to appeal to the GOP/independent voters who didn't voice their opinion in the Democratic primary.

How's Lamont going to do that? He's flogged the Iraq issue enough, now he needs to connect with voters who care about more than that. His website lays out positions on loads of issues. I don't know how realistic any of the positions are but they all echo the progressive Democratic line. Maybe Lamont will pick up votes among independent progressive types, but he's not going to get Nutmeg Republicans excited with his current tonality.

But as he trails with the vote a month away, Lamont must act boldly to connect with feisty CT Republicans on issues that really matter to them, like the out-of-control deer population destroying ornamental garden shrubbery. Hey, it's a serious issue for some people. Lamont's Greenwich neighbors and the state's less citified population may respond well to a hard line that treats the deer population as a form of mammalian terrorists.

Lamont can reach beyond the base to a vibrant, independent, environmentally aware voting population if he gets in front of the horrible deer-damage issue in a big way. I'd like to see him put aside netrootsy, peace-loving, nurturing Ned for a day in favor of the camo-wearing, sniper-scoping, field-dressing Ned ready to battle the four-legged urban menace. THAT would garner some GOP attention in the quiet corners of Connecticut. For pointers, Ned should hang out with these guys.

Of course, hunting deer with rifles may horrify the Democratic base. The sight of progressive-values Ned shouldering a .30-06 to bring down Bambi may send the wrong message. Instead, the new Ned might want to try bowhunting. This will please the Gaia-worshipping types who prefer ancient, all-natural methods of protein acquisition, the technology preferred by the earliest Americans before Ned's ancestors came over on the Mayflower with their blunderbusses and ruined everything.

Thanks to Asher's brilliant suggestion in the comments section, Mild Man Ned should hook up with Wild Man Ted (Nugent) to get the 411 on enjoying his status as the dominant species.